Opinions
All court opinions may be accessed at no charge via PACER through the "Written Opinions" link on the Reports page. You must, however, have an account to access the report via CM/ECF or PACER.
Access to opinions from 1997 to present, that are PDF searchable, unrestricted & unsealed, are also available through the Government Printing Office using the Advanced Search for Government Publications. There is no login required and publications are available free of charge.
Court Opinions Database
The court's provides free access of some opinions, at the discretion of the judges, for the years 1998 to present. The results shown below are automatically displayed for all years, all judges, and all keywords/topics.
A search may be performed using the Search box above, or filtering by year, judge, and/or keyword/topic. To search for more than one judge and/or keywords/topics simultaneously, hold down the Ctrl key (or Command key) and select each item.
| Keywords/Topic | Date | Title | Description | Judge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorneys Fees | 04/05/2012 | Leslie A. Fincher |
In Chapter 13, the starting point in determining the reasonableness of an attorney's fees is the lodestar method, i.e. the fee is determined by multiplying the reasonable number of hours expended by the reasonable hourly rate. 2012 WL 1155719 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012). |
Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz | |
| Summary Judgment | 03/28/2012 | Gonzales v. Saul Ewing, LLP (In re Douglas F. Vaughan) |
Motions for Summary Judgment on ownership of registry funds. Revised Fed.R.Civ.P. 56. Expert affidavits. Must trace funds in constructive trust. Defenses to preference. 471 B.R. 263 |
Judge James Starzynski | |
| Dismissal | 03/19/2012 | Sandoval v. Century Bank (In re Magdaleno M. Sandoval) |
Motion to dismiss granted. Debtor is bound by same deadlines as is the trustee when recovering preferentially transferred assets. sections 522(g), (h), (i), section 546(a), section 550. 470 B.R. 195. |
Judge James Starzynski | |
| Standing | 03/16/2012 | Patel et al v. Patel et al |
New Mexico community property law dictates that where only one spouse is named in a document evidencing ownership of community personal property, only that spouse has the power to manage, control, dispose of, or encumber that property. Given this rule, when only spouse is listed on LLC membership documents, the other spouse does not have standing to assert a derivative action on behalf of the LLC. 2012 WL 908439 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012). |
Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz | |
| Dischargeability | 03/15/2012 | CAGO, Inc. v. Slade |
Even though a settlement agreement may not have been induced by fraud, if it novates a contract predicated on fraud, the settlement amount is itself nondischargeable (and thus the measurement of the nondischargeable debt) under § 523(a)(2)(A). For the Court to find a debt nondischargeable on the basis of a debtor's misrepresentation regarding his financial condition, the misrepresentation must be made in a written document. § 523(a)(2)(B). This opinion also summarily describes when § 523(a)(11) is applicable. --- B.R. ----, 2012 WL 907225 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012). |
Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz | |
| Exemptions | 03/13/2012 | Lucio Leide Foah |
The New Mexico state exemption on life insurance policies extends to insured parties who are citizens or residents of the state of New Mexico, and to owners of insurance policies who are citizens or residents thereof. 2012 WL 863833 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012). |
Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz | |
| Dischargeability | 03/13/2012 | Lyon v. Aguilar (In re Esteban Angel Aguilar and Dena Denise Robinson) |
Reconsideration, grounds for. Statute of limitations versus statute of repose, differences. Rule 4007. 523(c). fraudulent concealment & equitable tolling, fraud upon the court, meaning of "without prejudice". 470 B.R. 606. |
Judge James Starzynski | |
| Discharge | 03/09/2012 | Beverage v. Noriega |
Carelessness and ignorance do not constitute "knowingly fraudulent" behavior for the purposes of denying discharge under 11 U.S.C. § 727(a)(4). Beverage v. Noriega, 2012 WL 827263 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012). |
Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz | |
| Automatic Stay | 03/05/2012 | In re Andrea R. Jymison |
Debtor may not move to set aside her own discharge to reinstate the automatic stay. 2012 WL 709980. |
Judge James Starzynski | |
| Exemptions | 02/23/2012 | Michael Mark Mulholland and Patricia Mary Mulholland |
A judicial lien is avoided pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 522(f). 2012 WL 601784 (Bankr.D.N.M. J. Jacobvitz 2012). |
Chief Judge Robert H. Jacobvitz |